As spring begins to its attempt to arrive in New York, I am hoping that I will have no more snow photos for you all until next winter.
Instead, I want to write about the notion of villages, of communities, that we can find visiting folks online. It's lovely to connect with someone whose blog you might have read, or someone whose comment on another blog might have interested you. Haven't we all found such connections?
Sometimes, it turns out that someone met on the web might just be someone whom you might be lucky to meet in person. I have had this luck, meeting some folks who live far away from New York, and sometimes meeting someone who lives not that far away.
Today, I had the treat of meeting Carol who writes Paris Breakfasts, encouraging all of us to travel, particularly to glorious Paris, and to enjoy the style and taste that Paris brings to mind. If any of you have not visited Carol, let me tell you that you are missing a treat.
Carol and I met up this afternoon for tea at a quaint little New York tea shop (and I know that Carol will be posting some photos.) We quickly fell into conversation, and not long thereafter, got served with scrumptious, very very large scones and delicious teas.
Once we got settled in, Carol reached into a voluminous sac and produced two delightful miniature ceramic items ... for me! Once I got home, I took out my camera and clicked some photos to show you all adventures in scale. This might be appropriate, because the tea shop is called, Alice's, and we know how scale figured quite a bit in that young lady's adventures.
The above photo shows my gift, the vintage Sainsbury's Potted Meat container, next to my even tinier lid-less teapot and cup. It's all in the proportions.
The photo above shows another play of scale, featuring Carol's gift of the little French cafe au lait bowl, next to my various espresso pots, tin tea infuser (disguised as a tea house) and a little jam jar. Carol and I both enjoy watercolor painting, and know the value of empty jam jars ... for holding the water, of course.I am sure that many of you all have had the fun of meeting folks in person whom you've already met on line. Is it not marvelous when you quickly sense that you are going to really going to enjoy getting to know each other better?
My current resolve is to post more frequently, and after tea with Carol, to return to actually travelling the world.
Best wishes to all.
I always look forward to your posts and I loved the photographs. I hope your spring arrives soon. I have never met a blogger friend in person, but feel very close to my online friends.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a delightful visit, and received lovely presents. Such fun to meet an old/new friend.
ReplyDeleteIn our part of the colony to the north, it was a balmy -14°C (that's a refreshing 7°F) today, though the wind chill made it feel much colder. Still lots of winter left up here.
I've had similar experiences and am always surprised at how easily we pick up as though we're old friends.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're finished with winter now!
How lovely to meet up in person. Spring seems to be on it's way here too. A second day of sunshine (with frost!)
ReplyDeleteI have had the privilege of meeting three people who write blogs, and liked all of them so much. One lives not far from me, so we keep in touch constantly.
ReplyDeleteDo come this way on your travels, Frances. We'd be delighted to see you here. Cx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely get-together, tea and scones - delicious.
ReplyDeleteI'l have to pop over to Paris Breakfasts to see what I'm missing.
Celia
x
It is amazing isnt it, how quickly we gel with people we have never met.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to look me up if come venturing this side of the pond. I'll take you to my favourite garden, a stroll from my home and we'll scoff a luscious afternoon tea.
Post more and travel more! Not a bad resolution. Certainly I am a fan of your posts and we can offer you a destination here - or is it better to travel hopefully than to arrive? (who said that?) Answer: (I have just looked it up but I'm sure you already knew) was Robert Louis Stevenson. Great man, great books. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
ReplyDeleteisn't it just fantastic to finally meet up with someone from the community? I was able to do that recently and it was such a treat. I am looking forward to you blogging more Frances and to you travelling over the pond!
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I'm a great getter- together with fellow bloggers.
ReplyDeleteIn Morocco this time, I met with friends of one of my first blog friends........Britt-Arnhild is in Norway and Jane is from California. It really is a wold-wide web.
What charming presents.
Yes, we could do with a bit of spring here.
Too cold still at the park in the mornings......
See you soon.
It is indeed! I have so many real friends now that I have met purely through blogging - it's a great way to meet like minded people, so I suppose it's no wonder we tend to get on when we do finally get to see each other face to face, after all, we've been reading each other's lives online. Spring is out over here, and I hope it is with you soon.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post Frances!
ReplyDeleteIt was a delight to meet you and so easy too..
Perhaps because we both have the same tea strainer shapped like a house...like minds.
The potted meat thing looks far better on your shelf than in my dish closet..though I may have a lid for your lid-less tea pot.
It's more than likely...
merci Carolg
What a lovely treat to read both your posts on your afternoon in the divine Alice's Teacup. I'm also amazed at the wonderful and unexpected connections brought about by blogging, even in my short experience of it. I really do hope that your travel plans will include London and that we can meet up in person too!
ReplyDeleteDear Frances,
ReplyDeleteA Wonderful get-together with your lovely friend, what better way too but to enjoy one another's company in that sweet little Cafe and indulge with yummy scones and fine teas. Such fabulous gifts for you Frances too.
Thank you for your friend's website link Frances, shall be popping in later.
xx
What a charming post! How nice that you and Carol were able to have tea at the world famous "Alice's". You're right about blogging friends, too. There are several posts I can't wait to check every day or two -- yours among them Francis.
ReplyDeleteMay spring come to New York soon and bring you lots of blossoms to enjoy and to paint.
Canadian Chickadee
I do love it when this happens, reading about people meeting in the real world after having met in the virtual world. In fact at least two people who i know in the blogosphere have actually met you!
ReplyDeleteMaybe one day you will visit us in the North West of England?
What a lovely story, I am so glad it all went well. I am sure you will get to travel the world in due course,I hope so.
ReplyDeleteI've just enjoyed a visit over to Paris Breakfasts, thank you for the introduction! What a charming blog and the next best thing to actual travel. And how nice to make that connection with a blogger friend.
ReplyDeleteYour photos of small things next to large ones are reminiscent of the Alice in Wonderland theme.
'Tis raining, 'tis almost spring!
Oh what a lovely day that must have been! I hope that I will get to travel to NY sometime soon!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your blog. I feel like I've had a wonderful visit to New York City whenever I read it.
ReplyDeleteI spy my Country Life mug on your shelf!
ReplyDeleteI do hope you manage to achieve both of your resolutions - I love reading your posts about life in NYC and would love to meet you in person. Hope you'll make it to Wales one day.
ReplyDeleteI've met and made friends with several bloggers - people whom I would not have come across if we did not have the common thread of an online life.
So good to hear that you and Carol had a good time together and that you resolved to travel again! :-)
ReplyDeleteRegarding your comment about poetry:
I like poetry, it's like oxygen for my mind!
Have you ever tried reading Billy Collins?
There are many of his poems online, but I can also give you a suggestion about which poetry collections of his to try. I was lucky enough to do see him several times at the Library of Congress, while he was Poet Laureate two consecutive years and I was doing research there - he is not only a great poet, but the kindest of human beings imaginable. Look out for poetry readings, he may just come to New York one day!
A wonderful Sunday to you,
Merisi
Hello Frances, this is such an interesting post, and your link led me into lots more blogs I didn't know of. Carol shows a photo of you on her blog post about you meeting up, and you look so elegant and beautiful, and your scarf is tied so very intriguingly, it looks fabulous. There are so many wonderful blogs out there, aren't there. Love Vanessa xxx
ReplyDeleteIt has been a rough winter here too especially this month, and hopefully spring is not to far away. So glad you had a lovely get together with tea and scones.
ReplyDelete